1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to farm implements, and, more particularly, to weight transfer within said farm implements.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of the more commonly used implements in the farm equipment field is a planter implement. Farmers utilize a wide variety of seed planting implements including seed drills and planters. In a known type of planting implement, seed planting or row units are attached to a toolbar extending transverse to the direction of planting. The toolbar is coupled to a tractor or other work vehicle suitable for front pulling the planting implement along a field that is to be seeded with a crop. Each seed planting unit includes a ground penetrating assembly, often including one or more disks, for opening a seed trench or furrow in the ground as the planting implement is pulled across a field. Components of the ground penetrating assembly shape the bottom and sides of the seed trench and a seed metering device provides individual seeds at a controlled rate for deposit in a seed trench. Furrow closing components of each row unit close the seed trench in a controlled manner.
As the need for more efficient farming operations becomes more evident, the speed of planting increases to achieve greater output for a given period of time. While this enhances productivity in the farming operation, it presents a problem in that with variable soil content (for example ranging from clay soil to sandy soil), the reaction force from the ground penetrating components to the toolbar varies greatly. As a result, during certain conditions the ground penetrating components of the seeding assembly can cause the toolbar to be elevated, thus resulting in the seeds being planted at less than an optimal depth.
In the past, it has been a practice to transfer loads from one part of the frame to another in an attempt to balance the forces on the toolbar, usually transferring weight from the center section to the wings. While this has had limited success, it is not capable of adding or taking away of weight from the entire toolbar, it only shifts weight from one section to another.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is an apparatus and method for providing superior load transfer to the toolbar of a farm implement.